Sticky Toffee Pudding Co. (Costco) Review
Author’s Note: These are my own weird little opinions. Not a paid or sponsored review. I have no affiliation with either Costco or The Sticky Toffee Pudding Company.
Behold, the pud.
I bought a 6-pack of these single-serve “British” cakes from The Sticky Toffee Pudding Company (at Costco, where else?). I was curious how these compare to the Cartmel Sticky Figgy Pudding cakes I previously reviewed. Buckle up, frens!
If you’re single and you know it, clap your hands.
First, the good news: these are perfect for single stomachs. Each “pudding” is individually packed and sealed. I like how easy and reliable these desserts are. Forty seconds in the microwave. Invert on plate. Eat. Even I can’t screw this up.
(Looking for another single-serve dessert option? Check out my review of these elegant Chocolate Mousse Desserts from Costco.)
I also loved the straightforward simplicity of the ingredients (more about that later). Maybe not “health food,” but I had no complaints. No complaints?! Who even am I?!
Well, what do they taste like?
These sticky toffee cakes are served hot, which enhances the moist, shaggy-but-dense cake texture. They have a gentle “brown sugar” flavor. I love the salty undertones.
The caramel sauce is thin and runny (just a tad thicker than maple syrup), but has a lovely buttery-caramel flavor. The outside of each cake is coated in the sauce, with a small pool at the bottom.
Filthy sauce misers!
I personally felt there was no where near enough of the toffee sauce. AND, I was sad it did not even vaguely resemble the thick, dark sauce in the product picture. In fact, I thought my first serving might have been a fluke. But, no. They were all like that. Boo.
It’s not a figgy pudding, you know.
It turns out, this is nothing like the Figgy Pudding I previously reviewed from Cartmel. This one has no figs, for starters. Duh. It also lacks orange peel and spices. It’s mainly just a sweet toffee taste. It’s less multi-dimensional. Less rich. Less dark. There IS “date paste” listed in the ingredients. And there’s real vanilla and espresso powder. But it doesn’t make a strong impact on the flavor. It tastes more like, well, sugar.
Perhaps a bit more density?
I think the cake could have been a tad gooier/fudgier inside. I mean, they are technically “puddings.” These guys are definitely not “dry.” But. You know. Maybe a little more density? A smidgen? A scintilla?
Or maybe I am just a greedy goblin.
Unlike me, they’re very sweet.
In keeping with British tradition, the “pud” IS very sweet. If you prefer “less sweet” desserts, this one may not be for you. It is a sugar-fest. I do appreciate the real cream and butter, which helps mellow out the overwhelming avalanche of sweetness.
Ingredients in The Sticky Toffee Pudding Co. British Cakes
Here are the ingredients from the label:
- Cake: Unbleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Sugar, Date Paste, Eggs, Butter, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Natural Vanilla Extract, Salt, Baking Soda, Espresso Powder.
- Sauce: Brown Sugar, Butter, Heavy Cream, Salt.
I mean. That’s a stellar list. Cleaner than my kitchen floor.
Despite the “British” on the label, these are not made in England, but in the US of A. Do you feel bamboozled?
Nutrition Facts
A serving is one 4-ounce cake and contains a staggering 430 calories. You get 23 grams of fat (14 grams saturated fat, 1 gram trans fat?!) and 4 grams protein. There are 52 grams total carbohydrates, of which 40 grams are sugars (31 grams “added sugar”) and 1 gram is fiber. Poor, lonely fiber gram! There’s 17% your daily value sodium, and 33% your daily value cholesterol. You also get 6% each your daily value Vitamin D and Iron.
Price and Servings
The 24 ounce package cost a steep $15.99 at my local Costco. Since there are 6 servings per package, each serving would cost $2.67.
Shelf Life
This is a refrigerated product, and mine had a shelf life of about 2 months. But, they can be frozen for up to 9 months. Says the label.
Microwave Instructions
Assuming the sticky toffee cakes aren’t frozen:
- Remove clear plastic film
- Microwave 40 seconds on HIGH
- Invert onto plate
- “Serve with cream or custard or ice cream.”
Dramatic Conclusion
I liked these sticky toffee cakes. But I don’t know if I LOVED them. They’re tasty and convenient, but overly sweet. They’re good, and yet, I don’t yearn for them. There’s not much sauce. I think my stomach would hold out for something with richer flavors, spices, and other yummage. They’re pricey for what you get.
And thus, the Awesome-o-Meter wobbles between “Maybe” and “Yaaas.”
The End.
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